Automatic folding table



Oct 28, 1941 c. FoRsBERG 2,260,371

AUTOMATIC Tomnmev TABLE` T Filed Dec. l5, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l Oct. 2s, 1941. Q FORSBRG I 2,260,371 AUTOMATIC FOLDING TABLE Filed Deo. 5, 1938 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 Patented Oct. 28, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE AUTOMATIC FOLDING TABLE Charles Forsberg, St. Louis, Mo. Application December 5, 1938, Serial No. 243,967

2 Claims. `(Cl. 311-2) This invention relates to a combined automatic folding table and lamp with self-adjusting leg, and pertains more particularly to that class of tables used for ornamentation and for card playing purposes and having swingable leaves.

Another object is to provide a table having a fixed center piece with circumferentially disposed swingable leaves or table top sections.

A further object is to provide a table having downwardly swingable leaves which are operable by a centrally disposed post having parts coop` erable with the leaves.

A still further obj ect is to provide a table with downwardly swingable leaves and foldable corner sections operably connected to the leaves.

Another still further object is to provide a foldable table with a cooperable lamp post to be used in folding or unfolding the table. v

Still another object is to provide a supporting leg for a table or the like with improved adjusting means.

Other objects and advantages will appear as this description progresses and by reference to the drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of this improved table.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the table having its leaves in downwardly swung positions.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Figure 4 is an enlarged inverted horizontal sectional View of a portion of the table top taken approximately on the line 4`4 of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged horizontal fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line 5--5 of Fig. 2. f

Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line B-S of Fig..3.

Figure 'l is an enlarged horizontal fragmentary sectional View taken approximately on the line 1-1 of Fig. 1.

Figure 8 is an enlarged vertical fragmentary 'sectional view taken approximately on the line 8-8 of Fig. '7.

Figure 9 is an enlarged vertical fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig. 8.

Figure 10 is an enlarged vertical fragmentary sectional view taken approximately on the line IIl-I 0 of Fig. 2.

Figure 1l is an enlarged vertical fragmentary sectional View taken approximately on the line II-II of Fig. 10.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings, I2 designates a center piece which is fixed at I3 to an under-engaged frame I4, said frame being secured at I5 to the vupper Aend of a tubular 4standard I6 having extending curved supporting legs I1 at its lower end. i Y

Theframe I4 `at each corner is provided with a pair of ears I8, one of the ears` of each pair of ears forming end support for respective pintles I9, each of which is borne by the inner end of a respective table leaf 20. f f

As shown more clearly in Figs. 3V andfljveach pintle I9 is disposed parallel to a respective side edge 2| of the 4centerpiece I2 and each table leaf 20 on its side edge is provided with a hinge part 22 for cooperation with-a respective hinge part 2-3 ofrespective table top sections 24, the hingeparts 22 and 23 being cooperably secured by respective pintles 25, and interposed between respective pairs of table top sectionsZland hingedthereto, as shown at `2li, is -a respective top section21;

Secured to the under-side of each section 27 is a member 28 which is-of a length to under-lap portions of adjacent sections 24,` and depended from each member `28 is a bracket 29 having end disposed ears 30 supporting a pin V3l, andenga'ged. `on .the ends of each pin' is the yoke end 32 of respective operating rods 33, the depending ends of each rod. being pivotally secured .at 34 to respective ears.35 of a cross-head 3S. e

Slidablymounted in the 'standardpIGis apost 31 which extends upwardlythrou'gh a bushing 38 in the. center .piece I2,`the,upper.extending end of thepost supporting@J lamp 39, and thelower extending end of the post Abeing s lidably secured in the cross-head 36 by` a transversely disposed pin 40 which is borneA by the cross-headl and en.- gaged in opposing longitudinal slots 4Il which are formed in the post 3"l.jI

The cross-head 36v is cylindrical and is adapted to have a sliding fit within the standard I6 and Supported thereby are the ears 35, each extend# ing through a respective vertical slot'AlIIa formed in the standard I6. The upper end 42 vof the cross-head3'6 is tapered, and formed inthe w'all of the cross-head beneath 'thle tapered end' 42 is'a pair of fdia'metrically disposed apertures 43, and fo'r cooperation therewith are respective spring actuated plungers 44 which are supported in respective brackets 45?u secured to the standard I6, each plunger 44 also being engaged in respective aperturesY lformed in the standard I6 (Figs-7,- 8 and 9).

The lower extending end of the post 3l which is disposed within thecross-head 36, is provided with a beveled portion 45 which is adapted to engage the tapered end of respective plungers 44, said beveled portion 45 however, being normally held in abutment with the shoulder 46 of the cross-head by the coil spring 41, which is disposed inside of the support 31 in abutment at one end with a ring washer 48 and in abutment at its opposite end with the seat 49 which rests on the cross-head pin 40.

The electrical current supply to the bulbs of the lamp 39 may be provided by entraining the electrical extension cord 50 into the bottom of the standard I6 and through the post 31, in :the manner as shown in Figs. 8 and 9.

When the table leaves 20 and connecting top sections24 and 21 are upwardly unfolded, they will be disposed in a horizontal plane, as shown in Fig. 1, where the top surfaces thereof will approximately parallel the center piece I2. When it is desired to downwardlyfold the table leaves 4 and their connecting table topsections to the approximate positions shown in Fig. 2, the post 31 is grasped adjacent the lamp 39 and a downward pressure is applied thereto, thereby moving the beveled portion 45` at'the lower end of the post 31 away from the shoulder 46 ofthe cross'- head 36 against the pressure of the spring 41, the downward movement given to the post 31 engaging the beveled portion 45 against the tapered endsA of the plungers 44, thereby forcing the plungers outward to the approximate positions shown in Fig. 9, and simultaneous therewith, the cross-head pin 40 will be engaged by the upper ends of the slots 4I of the post 31 and the cross-head 36 will ybe moved downward in the standard I6, and the ears 35 thereof to which the operating rods 33 are connected will likewise be moved downwardlyQthe downward pulling force thus created on the rods 33 effecting the interposed table top sections 21 and causing them to transfer a pulling strain on respective tabletop section-s 24 and the respective leaves 20, whereby the leaves 2D will be swung downwardly on their respective pintles I9 as respective sections 21 assume folding positions with respective sidewise disposed sections 24,.,in the mangerA as shown in Fig. 2. and as detailed in Fig. .v i

WhenV the table is folded, as sh'own in Fig. 2, it can be conveniently moved or carried by grasping the post 31 beneath the lamp without any unfolding'action being effected b v the post 1on the sections 24 and 21 askthe lifting strain imparted from the postto the rods 33 will be such as to tend yto swing th-e sectinns'21further inward. However, to funfoldthe folded parts of the table top, ywhen lifting effort is applied tov the post 31. the manipulator should engage and outwardly swing Vone of the sections 21 to an approximate vertical nosition so that the lifting movement on the post 31when`transferred to the rods 30 will cause tbenpper ends of the rods to outwardly swing as the cross-head 36 is elevated by the post by thejupner edge `of the beveled portion 45 of the post vabutting'the shoulder 46 of the cross-head', the upper tapered end 42 of the cross-head forcing back the plungers- 44, and .when the cross-headhas been drawn by the post 31 to its' maximum height, 'the plunger apertures 43j thereof will be engaged by respective plungers'44 for holdingthe cross-h ead 'in itslelevated position, as well as the table top sections 20, 24 and ,21. l f

It is to be noted that each member 2.8v which will serve as a reenforcement to maintain said sections in the same plane.

A covering 5l of the approximate combined area of the horizontal surfaces of the leaves 2U and sections 24 and 21 is mounted over said parts, the covering however, being secured by adhesive material |to the surfaces of the leaves 29 but not to the surfaces of the sections 24 and 21, for the reason that it is necessary that the covering material of the diagonal corners of the table top be free of the respective folding sections 24 `and 21, in order to eliminate binding or drawing of the covering material at these folding sections during folding operation. To eliminate the binding of the covering at the diagonal corners of the table top during folding of respective sections 24 and 21, the covering at the diagonal corners is secured at 52 to the outer end of a flap 53 which'is secured at its opposite end at 54 to =a respective top section 24, as shown in Figs. 3 and 5. The flaps 53 by reason of being secured to respective sections 21, will hold the diagonal corners of the covering inward during the folding operation and at the same time Will omit binding or pulling strains on the covering at the diagonal corners, and when the respective sections 24 and 21 are unfolded to horizonltal positions the 'v flaps 53 will assume straightened-out underlying positions. Y

With the arrangement of the post 31 extending vabove the table top, a holding tray or shelf can be supported from the post above rthe table top, if desired.

In Fig. 10, one ofthe supporting legs l1 is prov vided with adjusting means for the foot 55 thereof so that said foot may be moved in adjustment in the event there is unevenness of floor engageunder-engages respective sections 24 when the table sections are disposed in a horizontal'plane,

menlt of the table legs. In this connection, the foot 55 forms part of a leverv 56 which is intermediately pivoted at 51, to one of the legs l1, said lever being connected at its extending end to a coil spring 58 which is secured at 59 to the said leg l1, and connected at 66 lto the lever 56 is a pin 6I havingy its depending end slidably mounted in an opening 62 of a rockable crossbar 63 which is pivotally supported at 64 in the side members 65, and xed to said cross bar and extending upwardly therefrom is a lever 66 which,

is connected at 61 to a pull rod 68 which is slidable intermediate its length in across bar 69,v and mounted on the pull rod 68 between the crossbar 69 and the pivotal connection 61 is a coil spring 14.V The cross bar 69- is supported between the side members 65, and secured :at 10 to the other end of the pull rod 68 is a lever1l which is ntermediately pivoted at 12 to the leg I1which is oppositely disposed from :the other leg to which the lever 56 is pivotally secured. The lever 1| is provided with a foot engaging portion 13 which extends through an opening in the leg l1 to which said lever is pivotally secured.

For leveling the leg I1 or rather the feet thereexertion on the lever 66 which extends upwardlyfrom said cross bar. 1 i When the cross bar 63 is rocked, binding effect of diagonally disposed edges of the opening 62 of ithe cross bar will be released from the pinl, and in the event that the foot 55 is elevated from the floor the spring 58 will become active on the lever 56 to swing said lever 'and force the foot 55 against the iioor. When the operator releases pressure from the foot po-rtion 13 of the lever 'l I, the spring 'I4 on the pull rod 68 will become effective thereon to actuate the lever 66 to rock the cross bar 63 and the opening 62 thereof into binding engagement on the pin 6| for holding the foot 55 in its lowered position against the oor.

In the event the foot 55 is bearing against the floor in a manner to prevent a pair of oppositely disposed legs from iioor engagement, when the cross bar 63 is rocked by foot pressure on the lever 'H the pin El will be relea-sed in the cross bar so that the pin can move downward therein to permit the foot 55 to be moved upwardly to a position wherein leveling of the pair of legs which were heretofore 'above the iioor, is permitted. Obviously, release of the foot lever 'H will permit the cross bar 63 to be rocked into locking engagement with the pin 6I by action of the spring 14 on the lever 66 of the cross bar 53, thereby preventing displacement of the foot 55 from its oor leveling position.

From the foregoing, it is obvious that a unique table having foldable top sections is provided with improved means for folding the sections, and while a preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, it is to be understood that various changes, size, shape and arrangements of parts, may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention of the claims hereto.

What I claim is: 1. A table having downwardly swingable table top sections, a tubular Isupport for the table, and' means slidable in said support and having engaging cooperation with certain of said sections for elevating and lowering said sections, said means comprising a posit slidably mounted in said support and tapered on its inner end and having itsv outer end extending above the table top, a'spring actuated slidable element mounted on the inner end of said post and tapered on one end, rods connected ait one end to certain of said sections and at their other ends to said element, and locking plungers for said element adapted to bereleased by the tapered ends of said post and said element respectively.

2. A table having a centerpiece, a series of I CHARLES FORSCBERG. 

